


Sink or Swim

by WillowSong



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 04:51:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2256525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillowSong/pseuds/WillowSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This takes place in an alternate universe where Peter and Wade don't have powers.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Sink or Swim

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in an alternate universe where Peter and Wade don't have powers.

Peter and Wade stood holding hands outside a chained fence with a large sign that read CLOSED in bright red letters. On the other side of the fence they could see a large pool in the light of the full moon, the water still and glistening.

“Oh well, I guess we’ll just have to come back some other time,” Wade said cheerfully, turning around to leave.

Peter caught the back of Wade’s t-shirt, bringing him up short. “Not so fast, sweetheart. We’re going to break in.”

“What?” Wade looked at Peter, shocked.

“Oh, come on,” Peter laughed. “Don’t tell me you’ve never broken into a pool after it’s closed before.”

Wade fidgeted with the hem on his t-shirt. “No, I can’t say that I have,” he replied nervously. “I have broken into a couple Mexican restaurants after hours, though,” he hastily added.

Peter raised an eyebrow. “Well, consider this another course in breaking and entering,” he grinned, before turning and flipping neatly over the fence.

“Wait for me,” Wade whined, as he followed Peter over the fence. “This is very peaceful,” he said as landed next to Peter, who stood looking out at the pool. “It has an axe-murderer kind of vibe to it. Although, I would definitely pity any axe-murderer who tried to kill either of us. That would make a good story, actually,” he mused. “Someone should write a fanfiction about that.”

“Wait, did you just call an axe-murderer vibe ‘peaceful’?” Peter asked.

“Maybe?”

Peter shook his head, grinning. “You’re silly.” Before Wade could reply Peter took several running steps and somersaulted into the pool.

Wade yelped and ran after him, stopping at the edge of the pool. Peter rose to the surface, sputtering and laughing. “Jump in,” he grinned up at Wade, splashing water at him. “The water’s fantastic!”

Wade backed away from the water that Peter had splashed at him so quickly that he stumbled over his feet. “Are you sure it’s safe in there without a lifeguard?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Peter grinned. “I’ve been swimming since I was a baby. My aunt and uncle had me take lessons all the way up until middle school.”

Wade nodded distractedly, not taking his eyes off the water.

Peter’s smile faded as he watched Wade fidget. “Are you alright?”

Wade smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine, baby boy.”

Peter splashed at him again. “Then come here.”

“Um, I think I’ll actually just stay out here for now,” Wade replied nervously, backing up to a lounge chair and perching on its edge. “I’ll just sit here and watch you.”

Peter looked at him in silence for a moment before swimming to the edge of the pool and propping himself up by his elbows. “You know, Wade,” he said thoughtfully. “I’m beginning to get the distinct impression that you don’t know how to swim.”

Even in the dim light of the moon Peter could see the blush on Wade’s cheek as he looked down at his lap. Peter climbed out of the pool and squatted down in front of Wade, taking his hand. “You don’t have to be embarrassed, lots of people don’t know how to swim.”

“It’s not just that,” Wade mumbled, looking down at their joined hands.

When Wade didn’t continue, Peter asked softly, “Are you afraid?”

Wade was still for a moment before nodding hesitantly. “The summer that I was seven my dad took me to the house of one of his friends. The guy had a pool, so he, my dad, and all their other dumbass friends sat out there and drank all day. They were all plastered by late afternoon, so nobody really cared when one of my dad’s friends tossed me into the pool. I’d never learned how to swim, so I just splashed around and shouted for help, but nobody did anything except sit there and laugh. They all thought it was real funny, especially my old man. I finally made it out by myself, but I’ve never been able to go near a pool again. I thought I was going to die then, Petey. And they would have let me, the bastards.”

Peter squeezed Wade’s hand tightly. “But I won’t,” he said. Wade looked up at Peter as he continued. “Let me teach you how to swim. I won’t let anything bad happen to you, I promise. You just have to trust me.”

Wade swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “I trust you,” he whispered.

Peter stood up, pulling Wade with him, and led him to the shallow end of the swimming pool. Wade was silent until Peter slid into the pool and motioned for him to follow. He took a step back, whimpering.

“Come on Wade, it’s okay,” Peter encouraged. “Look, the water barely comes up to my bellybutton. It will come up even lower for you.”

Wade edged toward the pool, eyeing it distrustfully. He held onto the railing as he hesitantly put his foot onto the first step leading into the pool. As soon as his foot touched the water he jumped back with a yelp. “It’s fucking cold!”

Peter laughed and held out his hand. “It gets better once you’re actually in it. Come on, I’m right here.”

Wade took a deep breath and moved forward again, holding onto the railing with one hand and gripping Peter’s hand with his other. Slowly, very slowly, he edged his way into the water until he was standing in the pool.

“Good job!” Peter cheered. Wade tried to smile back, but it quickly turned into a grimace as he shied away from the water that lapped at his stomach when Peter moved toward him.

“Wade,” Peter frowned. “You have to breathe.”

Wade let out the breath he had been holding the entire time he had been entering the pool and took a shaky breath. “I don’t like this, Petey,” he whimpered.

“It’s okay, you’re doing great,” Peter said. “Let’s move a little bit closer to the deep end, okay?”

Peter moved in front of Wade and took both of his hands. He began walking backwards toward the deep end, drawing a panicked Wade gently after him. He spoke softly and encouragingly, never breaking eye contact with Wade as they moved deeper into the pool.

“You’ve got this, sweetheart, you’re doing fantastic. Keep walking, just a little bit farther.”

They stopped just past the middle of the pool. Wade almost started hyperventilating when he realized that the water was now halfway up his chest and almost to Peter’s neck.

“It’s okay,” Peter told him. “You’re doing really, really well.”

“I think I’m going to faint,” Wade replied.

“No, you’re not,” Peter laughed. “Try taking your feet off the bottom of the pool and try to float.”

“No!” Wade yelped. “I can’t do that!”

“Sure you can,” Peter smiled. “Just lift your feet up and lean back. I’ll keep my hands under you the whole time to spot you.”

Wade fidgeted.

“Really, Wade, I won’t let go of you,” Peter promised.

Wade finally consented. He lifted first one foot and then the other off of the floor of the pool and leaned back stiffly onto Peter’s outstretched arms. He looked so pale and terrified that Peter was worried that he really would faint, but when Peter tightened his hold and drew Wade closer to his chest he began to feel him start to relax.

Peter began to move, walking through the water with Wade held tightly in his arms. Wade sighed and closed his eyes. “This isn’t so bad,” he admitted, a peaceful smile stretching across his face.

“Do you want me to try and let go so you can try floating by yourself?” Peter offered.

Wade’s eyes flew open. “No!” he shouted, grabbing Peter’s shoulders in panic. “Don’t drop me!”

“It’s okay, Wade,” Peter soothed. “I won’t let go if you don’t want me to. But either way, there’s no way I’ll let you drown.”

“I know,” Wade said, taking a deep breath. “I said I trusted you. Go ahead and let go.”

“Are you sure?” Peter asked. “This is really good progress regardless. You don’t have to learn anymore tonight if you don’t want to.”

Wade looked up at him and shook his head, a small smile on his face. “No, I want to. You really are amazing, you know that?” He frowned when Peter scoffed. “You are,” he insisted. “No one else would ever think to find out if I could swim, much less offer to teach me. I trust you completely. You can let go.”

Peter nodded and slowly loosened his grip around Wade. “Just stay relaxed,” he coached. “Don’t tense up.”

Wade took a deep breath and tried to obey. Peter drew his hands away and Wade waited to sink. But he didn’t. He floated on his back, just like he had when Peter had been holding him. He let out a startled laugh.

“Look! Petey, look at me! I’m floating! Look, look!”

Peter laughed. “I can see that! Good job!”

Wade grinned up at Peter.

“You’re wrong, you know,” Peter said softly. The smile slid from Wade’s face as he watched Peter curiously. “You’re the amazing one, not me. You faced you’re fear head on. It’s amazing. You’re the bravest and most selfless person I’ve ever met. Not to mention the most adorable,” he grinned.

He yelped in surprise when Wade suddenly flipped upright and grabbed him in his arms, pulling the hero up to eye level. Peter wrapped his arms around Wade’s neck and smiled down at him.

“Thank you, Petey,” Wade said softly, resting his forehead against Peter’s. “I love you.”

Peter kissed Wade gently. “I love you, too.”


End file.
